1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a washing machine (electric washing machine).
2. Background of the Related Art
A washing machine provided with an ozone generator is proposed. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-320792 (Patent Document 1) proposes a washing machine supplying ozone generated in an ozone generator into a washing tub in wash-and-dry operation. A washing machine is described that can sterilize not only the laundry but also the washing tub, and a drying unit or the like which is a warm air circulating path.
The washing machine according to Patent Document 1 has a structure supplying ozone generated in an ozone generator into the washing tub during the wash-and-dry operation. Therefore, while the washing machine can sterilize clothes to be washed and clothes to be dried, the clothes cannot be sterilized unless the same are washed or dried. In other words, the washing machine must wash or dry the clothes to sterilize the clothes.
When clothes are worn only for a short period of time, a bad smell or the like may be adsorbed into the clothes, although the clothes are generally unsoiled. Examples of such a case may include adsorption of the smell of a cigarette or cigarette smoke into clothes due to company with a smoker, adhesion of pollen or the like to an overcoat while out in early spring, or removal of perfume traces adsorbed into clothes. In such a case where clothes are generally unsoiled and need not be washed and dried, but removal of a smell adsorbed into the clothes or sterilization of various bacteria and the like are required, a conventional washing machine cannot satisfy such a requirement.
The present invention has been proposed in order to solve this problem, and a main object thereof is to provide a washing machine capable of sterilizing/deodorizing clothes neither washed nor dried.